We're Back
by StabeTheBabe
Summary: When the squad gets a "not so new" new detective, will this old friend be able to get his partner and best friend back? Will they be able to convince Lieutenant Murphy that they're the perfect match for the upcoming assignment?
1. We're Forgiven

The weekend had come and gone too soon as it usually did, and it was once again time to get Monday out of the way. Olivia was the last to enter the precinct and wasted no time to sit down and chip away at those DD5s.

The rest of the detectives watched her curiously, until Fin finally decided that it was time to speak up. He had to give her a heads up. She'd hate him for it if he didn't.

"Hey, Liv?"

"Hmm?" She responded and reluctantly looked up from her paperwork.

"We have a visitor today, and we may also be gaining another member of our squad. They're in with Murphy signing papers right now." Fin explained.

"Who's the new rookie?" She returned her focus to her paperwork once again.

Fin felt nervous all over again; how would she react? "Well, you see. . . When you say new and rook-"

Lieutenant Murphy's door swung open. It was too late. There was nothing Fin could do now, except sit back and watch the chaos unfold before him. All heads turned toward the now open door. They watched as their lieutenant stepped out into the precinct, followed by the "not so new" new guy.

Olivia dropped her pen and paper work. Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped just a little as she stared in astonishment. This was no rookie at all. This was her partner! Her best friend of 12 years, who she hasn't seen or heard from in 3 years! She was rendered speechless.

His focus was immediately directed toward her and he just smiled at her expression. He started to make his way over to her and set his papers on his old desk without ever breaking eye contact with her. The rest of the squad watched the scene with deep confusion. All except Fin. He knew exactly what was going on, he just didn't know how it would all play out.

She watched as the bluest eyes she's ever known approached her. She never knew what it felt like to be paralyzed, but she was pretty sure she did now. He stood right in front of her now. Somehow, way beyond her understanding, she found the ability to stand up.

Within seconds he pulled her into a desperate embrace. It had been too painfully long to wait another second. He needed contact, and he needed contact now. With one hand clenched into a fist pressing into the back of her shoulders, the other was flatly placed on her lower back and effectively further pressed her body into his.

Before she could comprehend what was happening, she wrapped her arms around his abdomen. Their necks aligned as their arms and bodies remained locked on each other.

She wasn't going to cry. She promised herself that she would absolutely not cry when this day would come . . . if it would ever come; and yet, when he finally spoke, tears rebelliously escaped her eyes.

"I've missed you so much" He choked in a whisper.

He was crying. She could hear it in his voice. She knew it was okay to cry now. If he didn't have to be strong in this moment, neither did she. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to grill him with questions until she was blue in the face, but she couldn't. She missed him too much. She missed every little thing about him, and so . . . she let all of her walls down again. Just for him. Only for him.

"I've missed you too, Elliot." She needed a moment to collect herself a little bit before she spoke again. "What are you doing here?"

"I came back to work . . . with you." He could feel her tense up at his words. When she relaxed again, he continued. "Would you want to take an early lunch with me? We could go somewhere and talk and catch up. I already explained everything to

Lieutenant Murphy, he's fine with it."

She was still lost in his first statement. She couldn't believe that this was really happening . . . Finally happening! Elliot Stabler came back. He came back to SVU. He came back to her. When his last words finally registered in her mind, she nodded against his neck.

"Okay, let's get out of here then, huh?" He said gently patting her on the back and breaking the intense embrace. She reluctantly released her hold on him, but didn't back away as he reached into his back pocket for his keys.

His hand lightly rested on the small of her back and he offered her a friendly smile as he escorted her out of the precinct. She just smiled back and continued to walk right by his side in complete sync with him like they never missed a beat.

Once they disappeared behind the elevator doors, Nick looked at Amanda with an arched eyebrow and wrinkled forehead. He turned to Murphy and asked, "Did I miss something?!"

"That," Fin paused for emphasis. "Was Elliot Stabler. You know, Liv's old partner? You touched his pen 3 years ago and she about took your head off for it?"

"Yeah, yeah! I remember all too well, trust me." Amaro recalled that terrifying moment as if it were just yesterday. "So uh, that's him?"

"That's him." Fin replied matter-of-factly.

"Do they have a past . . . like as a couple?" Amanda questioned.

"As a couple? No. Never. Elliot was always married and when he wasn't for a short period of time, they both understood that neither of them wanted to jeopardize their careers, partnership, or friendship."

"They seem incredibly close." Amanda added in disbelief.

"You have no idea." And with that, Fin walked away from the group and went back to his paper work.

When they arrived at the little diner where they had shared a light lunch and coffee together so many times before, Elliot jumped out and walked around the car to open the car door for Olivia.

As she stepped out of the car, she looked up at the part of her life that had been missing for nearly 3 years now. "Thank you." She said softly with a small half smile.

He smiled back at her and answered, "You're welcome." , before he offered her his elbow to hook arms with him.

She simply couldn't refuse with the way those ocean blue eyes were locking onto hers. She hadn't seen them in so long. She didn't want to disappoint. At this point, she knew there was no way in hell she could stay mad at those two eyes. Her heart just wouldn't allow it.

They walked into the diner arm in arm and were seated at their old usual booth a minute later. After placing their orders, Elliot leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table. His eyes never left the table top as he fiddled with the paper from his straw.

"I'm sure you're extremely angry with me, and I don't blame you one bit, but please try to understand that you were not what I was trying to run away from. I never wanted to leave you . . . I'd just really like to get through this tough part so I can get back to working on regaining your trust so we can be parters again. So we can be friends again."

"Best friends." Was her only response. He stopped fidgeting with his straw paper and looked up at her then. "I'm not angry, Elliot. At first I was shocked, then devastated, and even hurt for a while. I thought I was angry for a period of time, but somehow I understood why you left."

"You don't know how sorry I am." He looked at her with strained eyes. She could tell he was fighting back tears now.

"Hey, you don't need to apologize. I get it. I promise. I'm just glad you're back." She couldn't be more sincere with him. She wouldn't be able to handle it if she saw even the smallest tear form in his eyes.

"No, you deserve an apology. Whether it helps or not, I owe you a sincere apology."

Their food arrived and was all packaged up and ready to go. They thanked the waitress and Elliot paid. Olivia watched him and took this moment to marvel in the familiarity of the situation. It was truly as if they had never gone a single day without each other.

They walked out of the diner and back to the car. Elliot placed their containers of food in the back seat and opened the passenger door for Olivia to climb in. She turned towards the inside of the car, but was stopped by a large, warm hand on her forearm. He turned her around to face him and started . . .

"Olivia, I am so incredibly sorry for leaving you 3 years ago without saying goodbye. I'm sorry for never stopping by, or picking up a phone, or keeping in contact at all in the following years. I never meant to hurt you, but I know that I did. I was wrong, and I doubt that I will ever be able make it up to you, but I promise you that I will spend the rest of my life trying to do so. Until then, I'll just be right by your side hoping and praying for your forgiveness and trust each and every day."

She couldn't keep her control any longer. Her eyes were flooded with tears and she tried to turn her face to keep them hidden, but he caught her chin before she could. He held either side of her face and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. She grabbed ahold of his arms and tried to swallow a cry.

"I forgive you, El." She could manage nothing more before more tears started to break free and cascade down her cheeks.

El. She called him "El". In that moment, he knew for sure that everything would be okay between them again. He didn't care how long it took, as long as that much was confirmed.

"You do?" He wanted to make sure.

"I do." She responded in a shaky voice. "Hey, El?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you do just one thing for me?"

"Anything, Liv."

"Just hold me. Please."

His heart ached at her words. He instantly released her face and pulled her into him. Her arms latched around his back. His right hand found its place on her lower back, while his left hand splayed through her hair and gently pulled her head down to rest on his shoulder.

"How's this?" He asked in a soft, soothing tone.

"Perfect." She replied.


	2. We're Capable

In that single moment of vulnerability shared between the two, all the awkwardness and tension that had been looming over them since Elliot's return completely dissipated. On their ride back to the precinct, they exchanged a few comfortable glances and small smiles. They listened to their favorite radio station and sang along to every song they knew. Everything had effortlessly fallen back into place.

When they entered the precinct, they noticed that Murphy and the rest of the team were holding a squad meeting. Luckily, they hadn't started yet, so Elliot and Olivia quickly settled in and joined everyone.

"So here's what we know." Murphy spoke up. "The guy we're looking for targets young pregnant women. His name is Robert Larken. Based on his MO, he'll offer a "welcome to the neighborhood" treat or invite the targeted couple over for drinks. This is where we believe he is slipping the narcotics to the victims. Couple goes home and goes to bed completely unaware that they've been drugged, they fall into a deep sleep, perp comes over, breaks in, takes out the husband, takes out the wife, carves his way to the unborn baby, sells it, and BOOM! He's a quarter of a million dollars richer."

"So should we try to get him for possession of the narcotics? It'll be simple to nail him for that and then bring him down here for further questioning on the murders and baby black market." Fin suggested.

"I agree. That would be the safest and most efficient course of action. The only problem I have with that idea is, we'd be banking on his confession to nail him for the other crimes committed. I want this scum put away for life. If we arrest him for possession of illegal substances, he's only going to get a 90 day to 3 year sentence without a confession for the rest." Murphy didn't want to shoot Fin's idea down, because it truly would have been effective. He just had high hopes of a bigger bust.

"So what did you have in mind, Lieutenant?" Rollins questioned.

"Well, my game plan is a little risky, but I know that we are more than capable of safely pulling this off." Murphy looked around at all of his detectives before he started again. "I was hoping to execute an elaborate undercover op." He waited for a response from the team. They all remained silent. "I'd like Benson and Amaro to go undercover as expecting newlyweds. They've been married for about 10 months, still in that honeymoon phase, and Olivia is about 7 months pregnant."

Olivia's stomach dropped. An undercover op? Without Elliot? He just got back! They just fixed everything! He was her partner again, why didn't Murphy stick him with her for the undercover op?

"How long do you expect this operation to take, Lieutenant?" Amaro asked.

"It all depends on how long it takes this guy to recognize you and Olivia and develop an interest in snatching the unborn child. He usually waits until the woman is about 2 weeks from her due date." Murphy explained.

"That's two months!" As hard as she tried, Olivia couldn't hold back her feelings of exasperation.

Murphy just looked at her and nodded. He turned back to the rest of the squad and proceeded with the rest of his plans for the operation. "Fin, I need you to accompany me in watching their backs. We'll stay close by, and if things go sour, we'll be able to jump in before anything serious goes down. Rollins, Stabler. I want you two to do a stakeout on Larken's middle man. His name is Jay McDowell. Check out his involvement and connection to this black market. Don't let him out of your sight. Alright let's do this, people. Benson, I need you in my office right away to try on this empathy belly."

Olivia was stuck in a blank stare. Elliot placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Go. It'll be fine and it will be over before we know it."

She shook her head and continued to stare into space. She walked into Murphy's office and closed the door behind her.

"Olivia! Here's your new belly for the next few months. I had Melinda customize it to your height, so it shouldn't be too heavy or uncomfortable." Murphy handed her the empathy belly. She took it from him, but said nothing. "Is something wrong?"

"Lieutenant, what about Elliot?"

"What about him?"

"Couldn't he do the undercover op with me?"

"Olivia, Stabler just got back. Not to mention, I got the low down on how you two left things when he resigned. I'm not going to risk this cover being blown over some personal issues between you two. It's too dangerous. You can go back to being partners after this operation ends."

"Then stick Amanda with Amaro! I haven't seen or heard from my best friend in 3 years. I'm sorry, but I'm not going anywhere without him." She wasn't sure where all of this confidence was coming from, but she meant what she said and she intended to stand her ground at all costs.

He stared at her for a moment and soon realized that this was one battle that he just was not going to win. With a deep sigh, he said, "Get Stabler in here."

"I promise, you won't regret this!" She quickly turned to the door, then turned back as she reached for the doorknob. "Oh, and Murphy?"

He nodded his head upward in acknowledgement.

"Can we keep this little outburst just between us? Please?"

"Sure. Just . . . get Stabler in here before I change my mind."

Olivia beamed a smile back at him before she headed out the door to find Elliot.

Elliot had his sunglasses on and was almost to the elevator with Amanda when Olivia caught him.

"Elliot! Hey, El!" She called after him.

"Liv?" He sported a confused look as he pulled his sunglasses up and turned around.

When she caught up to him, she asked, "Where are you headed to?"

"To start the stakeout with Rollins." He replied. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Murphy just needs you in his office for a minute."

He looked confused again. "Right now?"

"Yeah! Come on!" She tilted her head in the direction of Murphy's office and motioned for him to follow her.

"You needed to see me, Lieutenant?" Elliot stood directly in front of Murphy's desk and held his right wrist with his left hand in front of him.

"Yes. I've been going over this operation in my head, and the more I think about it, the more I see it fit for you and Olivia to go undercover together. From what I hear, you work exceptionally well together, and you've gone undercover before, so you're certainly not lacking experience. Plus, I think it would be a great opportunity for the both of you to rekindle your partnership. What do you say?"

With wide eyes, Elliot looked at Murphy, then at Olivia, who gave him a shrug and a half smile, and then back at Murphy. "Yeah! I completely agree. I think it's a great idea!" He tried to conceal his excitement in front of his commanding officer.

"Good. Then it's settled. You'll leave in the morning."

Smiling, Olivia looked over at her partner. He looked over at her offering the same smile. Just as they were about to turn to head back out to the precinct, Murphy chimed in once again.

"Not so fast. First thing's first. You need your aliases. You can keep your first names, but your last name will be Carter. And here are your wedding bands." He handed them each a silver band.

Olivia watched as Elliot slipped it on his bare left ring finger. She froze when she realized that he wasn't wearing his real wedding band. She hadn't even had a chance to ask him about Kathy and the kids. Were they still together, she wondered?

Elliot noticed that Olivia was still holding her ring. He gently took it from her. "Here, let me help you out." He grabbed her left hand with his, and with the other, he slowly slid the silver band onto her ring finger.

She was still frozen, but she watched as he positioned the ring perfectly on her finger. She slowly lifted her eyes up to meet his. He gave her a crooked smile. She wondered if he knew what she was thinking.

Murphy watched the exchanged and soon interrupted. "You do realize that starting now, you're married. You have to act like a married couple. Which means, you have to interact with each other like a married couple. Do you think you can handle it?"

They looked at each other again and then back at Murphy. Elliot responded for both of them, "We can handle it."

Although he wasn't completely convinced, Murphy nodded and placed his hands in his pockets. "Go home and practice."

They both nodded. Elliot could sense that Murphy wasn't entirely convinced yet, so he reached for Olivia's hand and locked his fingers with hers. She jumped slightly, completely caught off guard by his action.

"Ready to go home?" He asked her while rubbing small circles on her hand with his thumb.

"I'm ready when you are!" She shot back with a smile of approval.

They walked out together and they made it half way through the precinct when Olivia released Elliot's hand. "I forgot to tell Murphy something. Be right back."

She poked her head back into Murphy's office. He looked up from his paper work. "Thank you . . . Thank you so much."

He tapped the top of his pen on his desk and smiled. "You're welcome."

"We won't let you down."

"I know you won't. Go practice anyway though. Spend some quality time with your best friend."

She couldn't hide her smile even if she wanted to. She found her place back at Elliot's side. He draped his arm around her shoulders, and she wrapped her arm around his lower back. They headed out of the precinct together, wondering how things could possibly get any better.


	3. We're More Than Ready

**Author's Note:**** Thank you to everyone supporting this story. I'm hoping to make it a long one. I can't help but feel that the amount of E/O stories are decreasing in the fanfiction world. I want to help change that. I'm all ears for any suggestions or ideas to incorporate into this story. This is my very first piece and I plan on it being the first of many. One last thing. I've noticed that all of the other author's make a disclaimer that they don't own SVU or the characters and that Dick Wolf does. Yeah, well, same goes for me! Enjoy everyone!**

* * *

They were stopped at the first of many red lights ahead.

"You're place or mine?" He was still grinning ear to ear.

"Don't you have a full house?" This was perfect, she thought. What better way to coax out answers about his marital status without just coming out and blatantly asking?

"Oh, come on, Liv! Don't act like you didn't notice this was the only ring on my finger anymore!" He watched her try to secretly curse under her breath. "Anyway, I have a new place, and it's just me."

"It's green."

He scrunched his forehead in confusion. "What?! No, it's gray siding with stone."

"No! The light, El! It's green!" She didn't mean to frighten him, but he stomped on the gas as the line of cars behind them started to beep and honk at the holdup they were creating.

She couldn't help, but let out a small laugh.

"You're too distracting, you know that?" He could watch her laugh all day long.

"Yeah! Whatever you say, Mr. "Gray siding with stone"!" She mocked him playfully.

"Hey, watch it! That would make you Mrs. "Gray siding with stone"!"

She looked over at his profile with a friendly smirk. Well played she thought. It took her just a moment to think of something to retaliate with.

She reached over and grabbed his hand. She quickly pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes, leaned her head back against the head rest, and smiled as she said, "Just take me home, honey." She could certainly get used to this, she thought.

There was no concealing the wide grin that uncontrollably spread across his face at her words. He picked up where he had left off in the precinct, drawing circles with his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Yes, dear." He couldn't wait to show her his new house.

* * *

Just 15 minutes later, they pulled into a horseshoe shaped driveway leading to an absolutely beautiful gray sided house, accented with stonework, just like Elliot had said.

"Elliot, it's beautiful!" She was awestruck.

He put the Sedan in park, unbuckled his seatbelt, and turned to her.

"You ready?" He asked her with anticipation in his voice.

"Ready for what?"

"The VIP Tour of the house, of course." He ran around to her side and held the door open for her.

She just shook her head in disbelief and smiled at him. He was loving every second of this.

They walked up the three stone steps together before they approached the front door. Elliot quickly grabbed his keys and unlocked the door. He opened it just a crack before he turned back to Olivia.

"What?" She asked in almost a laugh. "Why are you grinning like that?"

"Come here." She was mesmerized by his new tone and found herself slowly stepping closer to him.

When she got close enough, he scooped her up off her feet and cradled her in his arms. Although she was completely caught off guard for the second time that day, her arms instinctively found their place around his neck.

She gave him a more serious and questioning look.

"This house can't be a home until I carry my beautiful wife over the threshold!" He was hoping to chase away her questioning look with that comment and earn a smile instead.

And there it was. He thought he was all prepared and just waiting to admire her perfectly white smile, but each time she smiles, it strikes him with an all new, captivating essence. He could never forget that smile as long as he lived.

As he walked through the front door, into the foyer, the first thing Olivia recognized was the cathedral ceiling and the strikingly beautiful, crystal chandelier hanging from it.

Before she knew it, he was carrying her into the kitchen. When she looked around and realized where she was at, she looked back at him and said, "El, the threshold was way back there." She indicated the distance and direction with her thumb. "You can put me down now." She smiled at him sweetly.

He gently lowered her feet back down to the floor. "Well? What do you think?" He spread his arms out wide and looked around his new home.

"Honestly . . . it's incredible." She admitted.

"I'm glad you like it. I desperately needed your approval!"

She cocked her head to the side. "And why's that?"

"So you would want to spend more time together here instead of your food-less, ice box of an apartment!" He joked.

She punched him in the arm playfully. "I'll remember that in the middle of July when you're knocking on my door, looking for a cool place to stay!" They both laughed.

Elliot leaned back, resting his elbows on the polished granite counter top of the island behind him. Once he recovered from all of the laughter, he said, "I can't believe just 5 hours ago, I saw you for the first time in nearly 3 years, and just 3 hours ago, I thought I wasn't going to see you again for another 2 months or better! And now, here we are!"

"I know! It really is crazy how quickly everything can change, and then change again!" She thought about how grateful she was for all of the changes she encountered today.

"I wonder what changed Murphy's mind about the undercover op." Elliot stated more so to himself.

Olivia felt her stomach do a flip. Should she tell him? He was obviously just as thrilled to go undercover with her. After all, he was her partner, her best friend. He has every right to know what went down, she reasoned.

"More like 'who'." She finally spoke.

He looked up again and furrowed his brow. "What do you mean, 'who'?"

"I mean, when I went into Murphy's office today, I asked him if you could do the undercover op with me. He immediately tossed out the idea because you just climbed back on board and somehow he knows about our past and how we left things between us 3 years back. Essentially, he didn't want to risk blowing this cover over some personal issues." She was nearly shaking at this point.

"So who changed his mind?" Elliot questioned.

"I told him, if he wasn't going to stick you with me, then stick Amanda with Amaro. I hadn't seen or heard from you in 3 years, and you had just gotten back. I wasn't going a single day longer without you, let alone a couple of months."

He pushed himself away from the island and started towards her. "So I should really be thanking you, instead of Murphy?"

"For what? Dragging you into a dangerous undercover operation?"

He placed the palms of his hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms. "For making sure I don't have to spend another single day without you." He gently rubbed up and down her arms as he smiled a heartwarming smile and looked into her eyes.

She felt tears start to sting her eyes. She did her best to hold them back. "I don't know how I made it three years without you, El. I don't think I could do it again."

"Well you don't have to worry about that, because I'm not going anywhere without you right by my side. Okay?"

With her eyes now closed, she nodded and tried to give him a genuine smile. "Okay." She agreed.

He gave her a tight hug and pressed his lips to the top of her head as he assured her, "Partners. For better or worse."

"For better or worse." She repeated into his chest.

He held her until he was certain that she let out all of whatever she needed to let out. However, when they released, he couldn't help but feel as though he hadn't quite got whatever he was feeling in that moment, out of his system.

They just stared at each other. Not in wonderment, but in mutual understanding of one another. They both understood that neither one of them would be capable of thinking straight the next few months without the other.

A familiar higher pitched tone coming from Elliot's hip, managed to break their gaze.

"Stabler."

"Stabler, it's me." Murphy answered.

"What can I do for you, lieutenant?"

"Are you still at Olivia's?"

"Actually, Liv and I ended up at my place. Why, what's up?"

"I was just calling to check in to make sure you both were still on board with all of this and weren't having any second thoughts." Murphy was very apprehensive about sending the two away together with any unresolved issues.

"No sir. We want this. We want to do this together." He looked at his partner for her approval. She nodded in agreement.

"Alright then. I guess I will see you both down at the precinct bright and early tomorrow morning. Your cab pulls out at 6 am sharp. Try to be there by 5 for a last minute run through."

"No worries. We'll be there." Elliot assured.

"Are you staying together tonight?"

"I'm not sure. That will be up to her." He answered honestly.

"I think you should. It will break the partner/friend act and help you fall into the husband and wife act before tomorrow."

"Alright sir, I'll see what I can do. Have a good night." He hung up the phone and clipped it back onto his side.

"What was that about?" Olivia asked curiously.

"Murphy just wanted to make sure that we were getting along and still wanted to go through with this." He wasn't sure how to go about bringing up the next part, so he decided to wait. "Let's go heat up our food and eat."

Ah food! The ultimate distraction!

* * *

They were cleaning up from dinner. Elliot was at the sink rinsing off the dishes. As Olivia was carrying their glasses over to the sink, she asked, "Do you have an old shirt or something I can sleep in?"

Elliot instantly stopped and put down the dish that he was washing. He turned off the water and turned to face her rather slowly.

"You want to stay?" He asked

"Oh, I mean . . . I don't have to. I just thought it would make things easier for both of us in the morning." She felt like an idiot for inviting herself to stay like that.

He smiled at her nervousness now. "I have a shirt for you."

"Elliot, really, it's okay. I need to go home anyways and make sure all of my windows are locked and – "

"Liv, when was the last time you unlocked your windows? Or even opened them for that matter?" He was so proud of his quick thinking.

Crap! Crap! Crap! She didn't know what to say. "I, I umm . . . I think I – "

"Liv, I want you to stay." She knew him well, but she couldn't tell how nervous he was right then. "Please stay?"

She stopped twisting the drying towel she had in her hands and looked back up at Elliot. She sat the towel back down on the counter behind her.

"Relax, El! You don't have to beg!" She said with a smirk. She was back in control now. Calling the shots again. That was a close one, she thought.

His mouth was hanging open, but no words were coming out yet. Was Elliot Stabler speechless?

"I was kidding, Elliot." His expression went back to normal. "I'm sure you were too. I mean, you're stuck with me for the next two months at the very least. Who would want an extra night with me?" She went to walk past him, and gently elbowed him. "It's fine. I promise."

"I do." He spoke.

She turned back around. "You what?"

He walked over to her. "I said, I do. I'd take every extra night with you. Now stay with me. Please."

She lightly bit her bottom lip. She wasn't quite sure how to respond. "So can I get that shirt now?" She looked up at him from underneath the hair that was hanging in her face.

He reached out and combed it behind her ear. He smiled at her then. "Yeah, come on. Follow me."

* * *

She came out of the bathroom in his gray marine's shirt. Elliot was in navy blue mesh shorts and a fitted white T-shirt. He pulled the bed covers back and said, "Alright. Climb in!"

"I thought I was sleeping on the couch?" He looked at her like she was speaking some foreign language.

"Olivia, I wouldn't let you sleep on the couch if you paid me. Now get in here."

She walked over and climbed into the bed. Once she was settled in, he pulled the covers back up to cover her. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Liv."

"Elliot."

"Yeah?" She was giving him a look. "What?"

"Get in here. You're not sleeping on that couch either, so don't even think about it." She warned.

He was smiling on the inside, but remained hesitant on the outside. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." She sat up and pulled down the covers, just as he did for her. "We're going to have to sleep together tomorrow night . . . In the same bed, I mean."

He had to laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, we do!" He just can't stop smiling when he's around her anymore. He climbed in next to her and pulled the covers back up over both of them this time. They were both laying on their sides with their backs facing each other.

"Good night, Liv."

"Good night, El."

* * *

They were up and out the door by 4:30 am. They walked into the precinct about 5 till and were immediately greeted by Murphy.

"So, how was your night?"

"We had a very nice night together." Olivia smiled at her partner.

He smiled back at her. "Agreed."

"Glad to hear it!" Murphy handed them each their suitcases. "Well, I realize it's early still, but are you two in husband and wife mode yet?"

They looked at each other.

"Murphy, I'm sure we'll be just fi –"

He dropped his suitcases, grabbed her around the wait and pulled her into him. He whispered in her ear. "Follow my lead."

"Liv, you were incredible last night." His hands roamed slowly over her back and he placed the lightest kiss right below her right ear.

She let out a low moan and her arms and legs were soon covered in goose bumps. Did that really just happen? Is it too late to pass it off as _fake_ or _pretend_ to Elliot? Focus, Liv. Focus.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious I learned from the best." She looked into his eyes as she placed a finger to his chest and slowly slid it down his body until it hooked in the waist of his pants. She pulled him closer to her and used her left hand to scratch the hair at the back of his head.

Murphy was watching the scene unfold before him with wide eyes and a raised forehead in astonishment. He wasn't sure they had it in them, but he was certainly convinced now. "Alright, I'm impressed. I think you two are definitely ready."

Never breaking eye contact with his partner, Elliot announced, "We're more than ready."

And on that note, they loaded their bags, as well as themselves, into the cab and were on their way.


	4. We're Something More

**Author's Note****: First of all, I'd like to apologize for the delay in updates. I appreciate your patience and you have my word that I won't just drop this story. We're really getting into the E/O moments now and I'd love to get some feedback or requests. Also, if you'd like to see a love scene in the future, I'd give it my best shot, but it's not really my forte. However, I am more than willing to let another author write the scene for this story. I will be sure to give them credit for their work. Thank you, to all my readers and reviewers! Enjoy, everyone! **

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The cab pulled into a nice little housing development about 20 minutes north of the city. They were watching out their windows trying to check out all of the houses and their potential neighbors.

"These houses are huge!" Elliot announced.

"So is yours, El." She reminded him.

"You really think so?" He looked over at her with a grin.

She smiled back, but raised her eyebrows and said, "Don't let it go to your head, now!"

The cab came to a complete stop. "That'll be $32 please." The cab driver held out his hand to receive the payment. Elliot handed him the envelope with the cab fare that Murphy had given him earlier. "Thank you, sir. You folks have a nice day!"

"Thank you, you too!" They both responded as they got out of the cab and fished out their bags.

Once the taxi drove away, they looked at each other briefly before turning around to check out their temporary home.

It was unimaginably beautiful. A big 2-story house with brown brick and tan siding. The landscaping was breathtaking and Olivia was stretching her neck trying to determine whether or not the fence she spotted in the backyard, contained a swimming pool.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear we were here on vacation." Elliot stared at the impressive house before him, while using his hand as a visor to shield away the beaming sun.

"How about it?!" Olivia agreed. "So, are you going to make this house a home too and carry me over the threshold?" She joked.

In seconds, she was in his arms. "You read my mind." He said as he made his way to the door. She couldn't break eye contact with him even if she tried. Was this all part of the act? She couldn't tell with that look in his eyes.

Once inside the house, he set her back down on her feet. He released a deep sigh and said, "Home, sweet home!" He still stood in front of her just watching every expression she offered. She gave him a content smile.

"Want to help me unpack?" She asked.

"We have all day and all night to unpack. Let's just spend some time together before this operation gets into full swing. Just the two of us."

She wasn't expecting that response at all. Who was this man, and what did he do with her partner?

"What exactly did you have in mind, El?"

"Well, let's just relax and, you know, talk." He tried to pull off the whole nonchalant card, but of course, Olivia never let anything slip past her.

"Talk? You want to _talk_?" She reiterated to emphasize her suspicion.

"And relax." He reminded her.

"What do you want to talk about?" She folded her arms in front of her and tilted her head ever so slightly to one side.

"Actually, I wanted to talk about earlier. At the precinct." His devilish grin was back now.

She knew it! She knew he was up to something! She felt like a complete idiot for believing that he would actually let their little "show" and her reaction to him earlier, slide.

"What about earlier at the precinct?" She tried her best to play dumb and keep a poker face on, but of course, Elliot saw right through her.

He had a coy smile painted on his face as he slowly stepped closer to her. His tone was soft, gentle . . . alluring. "Oh, so you _didn't_ feel anything earlier when I did this?"

She was backed up against the wall when his lips descended to the spot just beneath her left earlobe, and his hands were placed perfectly on her hips. He gave the spot that his lips hovered centimeters above, a gentle kiss. He slowly pulled his head back then and looked at her.

Her eyes grew three times their normal size and for a few seconds, she was at a complete loss for words.

"Liv, I heard you this morning in front of Murphy. I felt the way your body responded. It was like my kiss set your skin on fire."

She found words to speak again. "You told me to follow your lead. I was just playing along, like you." She only hoped that he would buy it and let the subject drop.

"Yeah well, at first, I planned on it being just a little harmless peck to get Murphy off our backs. When my lips touched your neck though, I just couldn't help myself. Face it, Liv. There's no way I faked that . . . and I don't think you did either." He couldn't believe his own confessions, but he desperately wanted her to know.

"El, I thought it was all a show . . . for Murphy, like you said." She couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. He'd read her like an open book.

Elliot froze for a second. 'There's no way she really meant that. I _know_ she felt something too. Why is she trying so hard to hold back?' He thought to himself. He nodded then.

"Okay. There's no Murphy here now, right?" She just stared at him. "One kiss . . . and if we don't feel anything, I'll apologize, drop it, and never bring it up again."

Again, she just stared back at him.

He held her chin and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Liv, please?"

She was scared out of her mind. Simply because she knew she'd fall into oblivion at his touch. "We _are_ undercover as a newlywed couple. The opportunity is bound to present itself soon enough. Let's just let things play out, okay?"

He retracted the hand that was cupping her face. He tried his best to give her a smile. "Okay."

"Elliot . . . "

"Liv, really, it's okay. I promise." He ran his hand down and back up her arm in reassurance. "Let's go unpack." He turned to grab their bags and lead the way to their room.

"I'm scared." It was out of her mouth before she knew what she was even saying.

He turned back around to face her again. "You're scared?"

"Yeah. Terrified, actually. I mean, we just got our friendship back on track, we're testing out our partnership now . . . what if this destroys everything? I promised Murphy we wouldn't let him down."

His hands went back to resting on her shoulders. "And we won't let him down." He assured her. "Look, no matter what happens, I will _not_ let it come between our friendship or our partnership. I promise."

"And what if I feel something and you don't?" This was what she was truly afraid of.

The left side of his lips lifted into a smile, and his eyes looked more relaxed now. "You definitely don't have to worry about that happening."

She shot him a look of skepticism.

"Trust me. I'm your partner." He had her there and he knew it.

She raised her right hand and ran her fingertips down the left side of his cheek and traced his jaw. Her eyes followed her fingers. "I do trust you. Completely and entirely. Always have . . . and always will." She whispered. Her eyes focused in on his then, and his dropped down to focus on her lips.

He slowly moved his right hand down to her left hip, while his left hand sifted through her brown silk hair.

Her heart raced at an unfathomable speed. She always failed to maintain her composure at such close proximity of him. She tried to hold her breath in an attempt to slow her racing heart, as well as to listen to determine whether or not his was doing the same. She thought it was, but then again, it could have just been her's out-pounding his altogether. She was silently going crazy in her mind. She _hated_ losing her cool. She _hated_ feeling so vulnerable . . . but there was nothing she could do when it came to Elliot.

Elliot felt her heart thud uncontrollably against his chest. By the look in her eyes, he could tell that she was so desperately trying to remain calm and in control.

"You don't always have to be so brave, you know?" He soothingly circled his thumb against the back of her neck while his fingers remained laced through her hair in an attempt to calm her nerves.

Her eyes started to water just slightly, but she refused to let a single tear drop. "Oh, but I do actually."

"Let's be brave together then. Elliot finally suggested in a whisper.

Without further hesitation, he stretched his neck the remainder of the way until his lips were almost touching hers. He looked into her eyes once more and further snaked his right arm around her waist. He then gently guided her head to his and watched as her eyes closed.

Their lips met at last and were locked in a searing embrace. Both wanted to remain in this moment forever. Fifteen years. They held out on this moment for fifteen years. Most people at the 1-6 agreed that this kiss was truly way past due. Deep down, they knew it too. However, in this moment, they decided that it was well worth the wait.

Their lips parted from one another and Elliot held both sides of her face. He searched her eyes for the wave of passion that he had just felt between them seconds ago.

She stared back at him and her mouth dropped open just a little. She desperately tried to form words, but couldn't manage to make a sound.

Still quite out of breath, he nodded and said, "Yeah, me too.", before he slipped his left hand back into her hair and latched his lips back on to hers with impatient passion.

Olivia released a very quiet moan as she wrapped her arms around him. He made the first move on deepening the kiss. Olivia held no objections as she opened her mouth to him and began to grip the back of his shirt and pulled his firm body into her further.

And then . . . Her mind went blank. When she pulled him closer, she could feel his erection press into her. She was completely lost in him and the effect that he had on her. She breathlessly said his name after another moan. This one, significantly louder than the last.

"Elliot."

He grabbed her back end and tried to grind himself against her to evoke another moan from her. "Give it two more seconds, Liv." He so badly wanted her to feel it too, but if she didn't feel anything after two more seconds, he wouldn't push her any further.

"No." She took a few short breaths before continuing. "Don't stop."

He did exactly the opposite then, and stopped. He looked at her to see if she meant it. "Really?!" His eyes danced back and forth between hers, waiting for her response.

"Really." She answered, and gently pulled his lips back down to hers.

Elliot picked her up and she followed suit as she effectively wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed her back against the wall in this new position. He began kissing his way down her neck, stopping at the sensitive spot just below her ear that he had found this morning.

She whimpered and her head fell back, which only gave him better access. Her hands were holding onto his big, strong, thick neck. She wanted to kiss him back, but she couldn't function to save her life with his lips on her and his body pressed so hard against hers.

"Elliot?"

"Yeah, Liv?" He resumed sucking at the special spot on her neck again.

"Don't you _ever_ leave me again."

He paused then and looked her in the eyes. "Never." And he meant it. There was nothing in this world that could ever make him leave her again.

They stared into each other's eyes for just a moment of understanding. Elliot leaned forward then and pressed his forehead against hers. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do this." He finally spoke.

"Since the day we first met?" She asked, knowing her own answer.

"Since the _moment_ we first met." He smiled at her before he covered her lips again with his own. Neither one of them wanted this day to end, but they new that this was the beginning of a whole new world for them.


End file.
